Chapter 62: She Fed Him with Her Own Mouth, Yet He Still…

They could charge out of Suzhou City, but escaping the vast Jiangnan region was nearly impossible. Along the way, countless people would surely block their path. Before they could rendezvous with Shuang An or Prince Su, they had to do their utmost to hide and buy time.

Zhao Rongzhang looked up, gauging the direction of the arrow rain, her mind already racing through several conjectures. So covert, on such a large scale, with government forces daring to shoot indiscriminately—could it be Su Tan?

In truth, Zhao Rongzhang had originally intended to divert the trouble eastward. Topographically, the area where Su Tan was located was itself an ideal place for hiding. Moreover, once those pursuers barged in, Su Tan would certainly take action to protect herself.

If Su Tan had already intended to help her, that would be even better. Without hesitation, Zhao Rongzhang took the lead, urging her horse forward and guiding her people straight out of the suburbs. As their destination drew near, she ordered the torches to be extinguished. Leading her horse by the reins, she walked ahead, relying on her daytime reconnaissance to find a suitable spot to settle and hide.

The night passed in thrilling danger. The group leaned against tree stumps, drinking water and chewing dry rations for a brief rest. Ming Luo brought a water pouch and two flatbreads to Zhao Rongzhang: “Princess, please eat something first.”

Zhao Rongzhang carried Guan Xuan down from the horse and dragged him into a cave. Afraid of being discovered, no one dared light a fire. Moonlight couldn’t penetrate inside, leaving the cave pitch black, where nothing could be seen clearly—they could only rely on their hands to feel their way. Groping in the dark, Zhao Rongzhang laid him down and poured hemostatic medicine onto his wounds as if it cost nothing, emptying the container completely. Then she began feeling his face and neck, trying to detect any breath. But even after her hands were covered in blood, she couldn’t discern whether he was still breathing.

Ming Luo believed there was little hope left—his injuries were too severe. Even if he still had a breath left, he wouldn’t last until dawn. But she didn’t dare say this directly to the Princess. The moment the Princess received news that the Imperial Guards and the Guard Army were joining forces to surround and kill Mysterious Cat, she instantly resolved to save him. Of course, the stubborn Princess never explicitly stated that all these actions were to rescue him—she only said she couldn’t bear it anymore and refused to sit idly by.

Such a complex and risky plan, and the Princess immediately made arrangements and executed it, charging alone into the city within hours. Perhaps this idea had long lingered in her mind, and only at the final moment did it truly become unbearable, compelling her to act. But she was a step too late.

Zhao Rongzhang felt exhausted. She draped Little Mute’s body over her legs and leaned back against the cave wall to rest. She asked Ming Luo to pour water for her to wash her hands, and only after the bloodstains were gone did she take the flatbread to chew.

It was a tense yet quiet night. Zhao Rongzhang stroked Guan Xuan’s face, her thoughts drifting intermittently.

The flatbread made her choke. She picked up the water pouch and gulped down large mouthfuls of cold water. After drinking, she started hiccupping. Zhao Rongzhang felt Guan Xuan’s tightly closed lips—still soft, moist, just like usual.

She aimed the pouch’s opening at his lips, wanting to feed him some water. But it was too dark to see anything. Tilting the pouch too much, most of the water gushed out, splashing over his face and body. He still showed no reaction, not even coughing. Zhao Rongzhang pried his mouth open and poured small sips inside, but however much she poured, it all trickled out from the corners of his lips.

Zhao Rongzhang was frustrated. She took a sip of water, pried open his teeth, and passed it to him. The water still trickled out.

She tossed aside the waterskin and pinched his cheeks. She was feeding him with her own mouth, yet he still wouldn’t drink!

Ming Luo heard the Princess’s rapid hiccups and sharp inhales, mistaking them for sobs, and draped a cloak over her shoulders. “When dawn breaks…”

“No waiting. I won’t wait.” Zhao Rongzhang pulled off the cloak and suddenly dragged Guan Xuan to his feet. “You all stay here as planned. I’m going to Liangxi County.”

“Liangxi County?!” Ming Luo was stunned by her impulsiveness. Although Liangxi County was one of the closest towns to Suzhou City, it was still two to three hundred li away. She actually intended to travel there alone through the night.

While Ming Luo was still in shock, Zhao Rongzhang had already hauled the severely injured, unconscious youth up again, not forgetting to instruct her: “Prepare more dry rations and water for me. Anyway, Prince Su and Shuang An are heading into Jiangnan Prefecture and will definitely pass through Liangxi County. If I leave early, I can meet up with them sooner.”

“That’s not the same! Does the Princess want to find a doctor? Even if you rush there without stopping, he won’t last that long! And how dangerous this journey is!” Ming Luo grew anxious, nearly unable to keep her voice down. “No matter what, you can’t go, and certainly not alone!”

“Someone needs to stay here as the backbone, and that must be you. I’ll protect myself. The hardships I endured during this exile weren’t for nothing—I know how to evade searches and determine the best routes.” Zhao Rongzhang wrapped dry rations in cloth herself, filled two waterskins, and fastened the cloak again. Standing before Ming Luo, she softened her tone. “I don’t want him to die. I can’t bear it. I have to do everything I can.”

Ming Luo wanted to dissuade her further, but once she made a decision, it was difficult for others to change her mind. Zhao Rongzhang once again mustered her strength to hoist Guan Xuan onto the horse, then mounted herself. Knowing she couldn’t stop her, Ming Luo first found a random excuse to calm the others, then leaped onto her horse and hurried after her. Yet in the darkness, after just a couple of turns, that flash of red vanished completely, not even the sound of hoofbeats could be heard.

Ming Luo clenched the reins in frustration. The Princess was truly skilled at shaking people off.

The autumn night was heavy with dew, the wind cold. After riding along the stream and emerging from the dense forest, a well-traveled official road appeared ahead. Zhao Rongzhang tightened her cloak, covering the youth in front of her securely, then urged the horse forward with a whip, picking up speed.

As the moon set and stars shifted, the horse grew breathless from running, forcing Zhao Rongzhang to stop and rest several times. When dawn was just breaking, she could finally faintly make out the silhouette of a city wall and gate.

Now, the important thing was to figure out how to enter the city. Going in directly was absolutely out of the question—it would draw too much attention. Sneaking in while leading a horse and carrying an injured person was far too difficult…

Just then, an eagle’s cry echoed from the sky. Zhao Rongzhang looked up, her gaze growing colder the longer she stared. She raised her bow, aimed steadily, and let an arrow fly.

The eagle’s wing snapped, and it wobbled as it plummeted.

Zhao Rongzhang untied a waterskin, drank from it herself, then tried to feed Guan Xuan again. When he still wouldn’t drink, she poured some into her hand and offered it to the horse.

As the horse drank, it suddenly snorted and turned its head to look behind them. Zhao Rongzhang pricked up her ears alertly and heard the distant rumble of wheels approaching. A carriage was heading this way. The sky was too dark to make out what kind of carriage it was. She quickly removed her cloak and draped it over Guan Xuan, then led the horse off the official road to a hidden spot to graze.

Zhao Rongzhang stroked her horse’s mane, patiently waiting for the carriage to pass by, but her ears caught the sound of it slowing down until it came to a halt not far from her. She tightened her grip on the reins, ready to mount and flee at any moment, while keeping her attention sharply focused, trying to discern the other party’s intentions.

Under the sapphire-blue sky, everything seemed like ink-black shadows. The coachman lifted the carriage curtain, and a nun stepped out, pushing aside the carriage door. Zhao Rongzhang immediately recognized the other’s identity but restrained herself from revealing her presence.

The nun, holding a string of prayer beads, took one step at a time, pausing by the roadside. “Princess.”

Ignoring the probing tone, Zhao Rongzhang cut straight to the point. “What do you want? Are you Su Tan?”

“This humble nun’s dharma name is Su Tan. The matter is complex and difficult to explain in a few words. I have come to help you, Princess. You may test my sincerity.”

Anger simmered in Zhao Rongzhang’s heart. Why had Su Tan not shown herself earlier, only appearing now when she was at her most desperate? But this was no time for anger.

“How can you help me?” Zhao Rongzhang glanced toward the city walls, discreetly feeling for Guan Xuan on the horse’s back beneath her cloak.

Su Tan replied, “This humble nun can safely escort you into the city and arrange for the best doctor to treat the injured.”

“And what else?”

“Su Shuang’an from Hongfu Prefecture and her companions are already waiting for you in Liangxi County. They received the news early and entered the city overnight, arriving just in time.”

Without a word, Zhao Rongzhang tugged at her horse’s reins and coldly rode onto the main road.

At the city gate, the carriage barely paused. After the guards inspected the travel permit, they allowed it to pass without delay. Zhao Rongzhang, cradling Little Mute in her arms, sat facing Su Tan inside the carriage.

The sky was still dark, and the streets of the city were mostly empty. Not daring to lift the curtain carelessly, Zhao Rongzhang listened as the carriage turned left and right, finally stopping in an extremely secluded location.

It was a rice shop.

Upon entering, the Innkeeper seemed to have been informed in advance. He first bowed respectfully to Zhao Rongzhang before leading them further inside. Pushing open a hidden door, they walked a short distance and found themselves in a completely different world—a dense bamboo grove. It was unclear how it had been constructed. Did it lead to someone’s courtyard?

A winding path meandered through the bamboo grove. After a few more turns, they arrived at a bamboo hut hidden deep within. Inside, several doctors had already prepared their medicine chests. Upon receiving the order, they immediately carried Guan Xuan over and began treating him, surrounding him with care.

Among them was a familiar face. When Zhao Rongzhang held up a lamp to see, it turned out to be Old Man Wu. Just then, Su Shuang’an hurried in from the back room.

Though overjoyed to see her again, Zhao Rongzhang was not yet in the mood for conversation. After waiting no more than half an incense stick’s time, she couldn’t help but ask the group, “How is he? Is he still alive? Can he be saved?”

Old Doctor Wu was placing ginseng slices into Guan Xuan’s mouth. He turned around, opened his acupuncture kit, and began inserting needles into Guan Xuan’s body with a furrowed brow. “Even if he’s not dead, he’s close to it. We’ll try our best to save him.”

Su Tan had someone bring breakfast, but Zhao Rongzhang had no appetite. She forced herself to swallow some porridge and steamed buns. Having stayed awake all night, her body was utterly exhausted, but her mind remained alert, unable to relax. She knew she should rest, but her eyes remained fixed on the man in the center, covered in needles, unable to look away.

She did not regret any of her decisions, least of all one that was not only correct but also remarkably successful. Yet, the cost of this decision seemed to far exceed what she had imagined.